The Sprout
Light show at West Oxford Light Festival
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 183 December 2023
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The Sprout
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Directo rs: Jan et Bartlam, Judi Bo lder, John Clement s,
Michae l Cockman, Louise Kunz eman n, Ag Ma cKeith
Editor
Ag MacKeith
South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk
Advertising Manager
Michael Cockman
50, St Paul's Crescent OX2 9AG Tel: 07766 317691 Adverts@TheSprout.org.uk
Deliveries
Jan Shirley and Isabelle Hayes
9, Sweetmans Road OX2 9BA 07706 606719 Deliveries@TheSprout.org.uk
Copy Date: Copy by 15th of month preceding publication. Earlier submission is
welcome. Later contributions may have to be held over to the next issue.
Advertisements: If you have print-ready advertisements in the correct format the last
day for booking advertising is the 10th of the month preceding publication; in all other
circumstances more advance notice will be needed. For exact sizes, quality requirements,
advice on text and help with production, please contact the Advertising Manager.
Advertising rates:
Full page: 1 issue £112; 3 issues £270; 5 issues £392; 10 issues £728
½ page: 1 issue £56; 3 issues £135; 5 issues £196; 10 issues; £364
¼ page: 1 issue £28; 3 issues £67.50; 5 issues £98; 10 issues; £182
1/8 page: 1 issue £14; 3 issues £33.75; 5 issues £49; 10 issues; £91
Subscriptions: If you live outside North Hinksey Parish you can still receive The Sprout
on a regular basis. Just take out a postal subscription only £12 per annum, delivered to
your door. Contact: Janet Bartlam: 01865 453111.
Now also available online at https://archive.thesprout.org.uk/
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this newsletter,
mistakes may happen. The Editor and Team apologize unreservedly for any errors that
may occur and will do their best to correct them. This publication is not a vehicle of the
parish council, and parish councillors working with the Sprout do so in a personal capacity.
Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual contributors.
All concerned in the production and delivery of The Sprout are unpaid volunteers.
The Sprout is printed by The Holywell Press, and published by
North Hinksey Parish Publications Ltd, (a company limited by
guarantee) Registration No. 05609535.
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The Sprout
Issue 183, December 2023
Contents
3 Introducing Jack Webb
7 February Guest Edition
11 Christmas Hampers
13 Thermal Imaging
15 Beaumont Elms Report
17 Simon Mason
21 Service of Remembrance
23 Planning Apps
25 Making Connections
27 Muriel Stevens
29 Friends of Raleigh Park
33 Kennington Memory Club
34 Brownies Learn a Lot
36 Randoms
38 General Organisations
From the Editor
Welcome to the last Sprout for 2023. In it there are the usual shout-outs
for help from every quarter (pp 9, 11, 29 and 36) and some heartfelt
thanks for volunteer input (p 21). Voluntary help is a precious thing,
and this is recognized by the parish council’s All in One Room’ party
on December 10th for anyone in the community who is an active
volunteer (pp 2 and 36). It will be at the Women’s Institute in North
Hinksey Lane. Last year around a hundred came will there be even
more this year? Volunteers, you know who you are! Get in touch and
claim your ticket! Then there’s a tribute to a long-term resident of
Poplar Road (p27), an interview with a local author (p 17) and a review
of last month’s work across the Beaumont Elms Practice (p15). Finally,
we are excited to announce a bold new initiative Jack Webb, a young
journalist recently returned to Botley, will be guest editor for the
February Sprout, which will give a voice to Botley’s young people. You
can meet him on page 3 and read about his plans on page 7. Are you
one of Botley’s nearly 3,000 school students? This is your chance to
share your ideas with the rest of us, don’t hold back! And, until then, A
Happy Christmas to all our readers! The team is looking forward to a
festive break, but your favourite mag will be back on your mat in
February. Ag MacKeith
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Introducing Jack Webb
Hello! My name is Jack Webb and I am
privileged to be chosen as The Sprout’s guest
editor for the February issue next year. I
thought you might like to know a bit more
about me.
I recently moved back to Botley after living as
a student in Bournemouth for four years, so I
think we can all agree that I have lived an
incredibly experienced and cultured life!
Perhaps I should also mention that for every
long period of time spent in the coastal town,
I often longed to be back in Botley, and would
return to visit regularly. I think it’s because, for
me, there has always been something very
interesting about this place, for somewhere so small, and every time I
came back, I would usually find something intriguing had taken place.
For me, this is what The Sprout is all about. Showing everybody what
Botley has to offer.
In terms of my own journey, I became interested in writing at a young
age, because I enjoyed being able to express myself creatively, on my
own terms. At school I found maths, for instance to be incredibly boring
and restrictive, but anything that was related to writing immediately
excited me. There were no rules there. I could do whatever I wanted.
Come to think of it, that’s still how I like to live my life now.
From the minute I realised I was only semi-bad at writing, compared to
being totally useless at literally everything else, I decided to try and make
a career as a football journalist. Since I was, and still am, mad about
football, it made sense to me to combine my two passions. It really helped
that I cannot kick a ball to save my life, and therefore my opportunities
within the sport have been extremely limited!
So far, I have begun to turn this ambition into somewhat of a reality. When
I am not finding stories in Botley, I am managing the social media
accounts for the sixth-tier outfit, Weymouth Football Club, and
interviewing the players and manager on a weekly basis. Right now, the
club isn’t quite where they would like to be, regarding results. However,
they do have a manager and chairman who are fully committed to making
the team as successful as possible, both in terms of accolades and
finance.
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This has been a fantastic opportunity in allowing me to understand how
a football fan thinks. For those who already follow football, it will come as
no surprise to hear that a large chunk of supporters can get rather
impatient quite quickly! As a season ticket holder at Arsenal myself (the
best team in the world, I will not be hearing otherwise), I know all too well
what football fans can be like.
But, it’s fascinating. In a strange way. I love to make their voices heard. I
also think they are a reflection of how people behave as a whole. People
have a lot to say and they are very happy to say it.
Ultimately, what I hope to bring to The Sprout is the voice of the youth.
For me, it’s an overriding problem that the voices of young people today
are not listened to enough, and are sometimes even ignored or ridiculed.
I want The Sprout to not only show them that their opinions are heard,
but also encourage them to express themselves.
Jack Webb
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February 2024, Guest Edition
Hello, everyone!
Jack Webb again, and I am here to tell you about my plans as Guest
Editor for the February 2024 issue of The Sprout. The idea is to bring a
new emphasis on youth into the magazine, and I have been tasked with
this, based on my age and supposed knowledge and connections among
the younger people of Botley!
So here we go! Below are a list of themes and agendas that I am hoping
to introduce into February’s issue:
What do the youth think of Botley? This is technically an ongoing
theme, as it has been discussed for a while, and was advertised in the
November issue. We asked THREE questions (What annoys you about
Botley? What do you like the most about Matthew Arnold School? What
is missing from the new shopping precinct?), and people could answer
ONE. Their entry would go in the magazine, and the BEST answer would
get a £10 reward. This hasn’t been totally successful yet, and so we have
widened it out to be 250+ words along the lines of the above (what makes
you happy about Botley, what you hate about MAS, etc, anonymity
granted on request). I am hoping from now we can start to get at least a
few answers; I will start pushing my sister and her friends for ideas!
What changes do the youth of Botley want to see in 2024? Over the
next month I am hoping that young people will get back and share their
ideas. I really want to hear what you think! For this question, I will leave
it as broad as possible in the hope of receiving many different types of
answers. The BEST answer on
here (as decided by myself as
the editor) will receive a £20
reward.
Skatepark. As the skatepark
now has planning permission, I
would like us to do a big piece
on the campaign and building
of the park. Ideally, it would be
great to speak to campaigners
AND the general public, and find out what it is that makes the skate park
such a great idea (or otherwise, if that’s your view).
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Things you don’t want to miss out on in 2024 I intend for this to be
a promotion of as many different things in Botley/West Oxford as
possible, ranging from local shops & businesses to upcoming events.
The importance of protesting Recently, there have been a lot of
protests in Oxford around the ongoing situation in Palestine. Whilst I
wouldn’t aim to use The Sprout as a way of projecting my own views, I
would like to dedicate a page to Botley people explaining why it’s
important to become active and involved in public protests like these.
To get the ball rolling, I will be interviewing my friend who is a North
Hinksey resident and archaeologist. I am also sure that, as always, there
will be plenty of other brilliant ideas, so please do send anything my way
that you feel is worth including! You can text me on 07519 822002 if you
want to discuss anything, and submit your masterpiece to
editor@thesprout.org.uk
**DEADLINE IS 14TH JANUARY 2024 ** so please get your articles
to me before then!
Looking forward to it very much! Jack Webb
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Christmas Hampers
Botley Bridges and local food charities are again
working together to spread some Christmas
cheer to local families on low incomes in Cumnor,
Botley and West Oxford. Last year we distributed
over 100 hampers, brimming with a variety of food
and gifts, all donated, packed and delivered by
local volunteers. With the continuing pressure on
family incomes and rising prices many families
find Christmas a difficult time. We are looking to
our local community to spread some Christmas cheer.
Can you donate any of these: Tea/ Coffee/ Hot Chocolate/ Squash/ Soft
Drinks (no alcohol please); Fresh fruit or veg ; Christmas treats; Jam/
Marmalade/ Honey/ Syrups; Tins or Jars Fruit/ Tuna/ Baked Beans/
Pasta Sauces/ Soup; Bread/ Crackers/ Oats/ Breakfast Cereals/ Rice/
Pasta
We are also hoping to include some small (stocking filler) gifts in the
hampers. Can you donate? (Please leave these unwrapped so we can
best match them to the recipients.)
For Adults: Toiletries/ Warm Socks/ Blankets/ Hot Water Bottles
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For Children: Bubbles/ activity books/ small craft sets/ small construction
sets; Books (for a variety of ages); Cards/ Cards Games; Toiletries
Donations can be dropped off at St Peter and St Pauls Church Hall,
Botley on Tuesday 19th 1-8pm or Wednesday 20th December 8-11am.
There will also be collection points at Cumnor School, Botley School,
West Oxford School and at any Botley Bridges session during the week
of 1118th December. If you cannot drop off at these times, email me at
sue@botleybridges.org to arrange an alternative venue and time. Use
the same email if you would like to volunteer to take in deliveries, pack
hampers or deliver, or phone me on 07769 275084.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to the hampers, please
email treasurer@botleybridges.org for details of how to do this.
Adults in a household on a low income can request a hamper in one of
three ways:
1.You can scan the QR code on the left or find the
form online at https://botley-hampers.web.app
2.Or you can download a form from the Botley
Bridges website and email it to
sue@botleybridges.org
3 Or you can ask your school for a hard copy and
hand it in to them. Sue Dowe
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Thermal Imaging
18th December to 2nd January
One of the fun things about winter is that we can do some thermal imaging
and see in technicolour where the heat is leaking from our homes.
Sustainable Botley will have an infrared camera over the festive period
and we can offer you a free thermal imaging visit. Normally it takes 30
minutes to an hour to walk around your home with you, inside and out, so
that you can see things like gaps in loft and wall insulation, cold spots that
might cause mould to form, and leaky spots where draughts are getting
in around doors and windows. Visits will be during daylight, and
preferably at times when the outdoor temperature is below 8°C. Just get
in touch with me at laurie@livingwitness.org.uk to arrange your free visit.
We can also do a more substantial energy survey, for which we’d ask for
a donation to Sustainable Botley to help cover training and accreditation
costs. Laurie Michaelis, Sustainable Botley
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At the time of writing October has been a busy month for Beaumont Elms
Practice. Across the two sites during the month GPs saw 2,098 patients,
spoke to 654 patients on the phone as planned appointments, and made
1,842 on the day calls. Nurses saw another 1,298 patients and our
Pharmacists and Physicians Associate saw or called 607 patients
between them. Around one third of all of these contacts were with
patients who transferred from Botley. 1,373 covid vaccines were given
and 1,615 flu jabs. And of course, the busiest section of the practice,
reception staff, answered 9,952 calls in October, callers waiting only 3
mins and 28 seconds for the phone to be answered on average.
The purpose of this detail isn’t to blow our own trumpet but to provide
some context for when you next have a dealing with the surgery and to
say what a pleasure it has been to see and speak to you all!
We are aware some people thought the practice was no longer open
as you can see from the above this is definitely not the case, and we are
very much open to our registered patients. The phone number is 01865
240501 and the website is www.19beaumontstreet.com
The NHS App is now available for all patients and can be used to request
repeat prescriptions, check results and book covid and flu appointments.
Some patients may be able to connect/reconnect without intervention
from the practice, but if you need help please come to reception with
photographic ID.
We are gaining a much clearer picture of the needs of the patients in the
Botley area and are aware that many patients are due reviews for long
term conditions. We are planning our clinical provision accordingly, so
please rest assured that we will contact you to arrange these reviews.
Looking forwards, Christmas is just around the corner. The practice will
be closed on bank holidays, but open as normal otherwise over the
Christmas period. We also look forward to welcoming new GPs in
January, when we will also begin to allocate GPs to patients transferred
from Botley. And our third Pharmacist joined the team at the beginning
of November.
Thank you for welcoming us into the Botley community and we look
forward to meeting more of you over the coming months.
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There Is No Escape –
Profile of Simon Mason, Oxford Author
Sometimes daydreaming can produce great
results. Simon Mason, one of Oxford's star
authors, is living proof. He was chosen by the
Botley Library Staff to be the subject last month
of one of their occasional literary Q&A events.
An only child, he spent much of his early years
daydreaming, which he views as a direct link to
his eventual success as a writer. In his own
words, ‘I think of writing as daydreaming; a
transfer of words.’
Born in Sheffield and educated at a
comprehensive school there, Simon made the leap to studying English
Literature at Lady Margaret Hall here in Oxford, where, at first, finding
nothing in common with or comfortable in university society, he spent his
time reading in the Library (open 24/7) ...undoubtedly laying down the
foundation for his future career.
With characteristic self-deprecation, he admits that after graduating, he
settled in Oxford because editing at Oxford University Press was the only
job offer he got. Later, he worked in publishing in London, writing most of
his books including one entirely – standing on the commuter train. As
he says, It was an absolute nightmare it used to take two or three hours
some days. Once I locked myself in the toilet just to be able to sit down
and write.’
Following several adult novels written in the 1990s, Simon turned to his
young family for inspiration. Indeed, his writing developed and grew in
tandem with his children's progress over the years. When his two children
were small, he wrote books about and for young children, including the
popular Quigley Family series. But he's quick to counter any direct
resemblance: ‘Because the Quigleys were so closely associated with us,
I got a bit fed up when reviewers kept describing them as hapless parents
or a dysfunctional family. The Quigley books have received much critical
acclaim, including being nominated for the Branford Boase Award in
2003. Later, Moon Pie (2011), a singular and perceptive book featuring
an 11-year-old parental child with an alcoholic widowed father, was
shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 2015.
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Once his children were teenagers, he turned to Young Adult fiction,
notably the Garvie Smith series (2015-19). Simon has a soft spot for his
creation Garvie: ‘The world hasn't done anything for him, why should he
do anything for the world? Fair enough. Such boys are very well
represented in life but less so in literature. I wanted to put him in a book.
From the Garvie Smith series (categorised as YA
Crime), Simon advanced to the full Monty, in the
form of Oxford-based detectives Ryan and Ray
Wilkins: no relation, and less chemistry. This
interviewer could not put down either A Killing in
November (2022) or The Broken Afternoon
(2023) and is waiting impatiently for Lost and
Never Found, to appear in January 2024. The
storylines are great, but it's the marvellously
depicted mix of caustic repartee and instinctive -
- but resisted and resented -– symbiosis which
enlivens the Wilkins' books with unique delight.
Although we will have to wait until January 2025
for the 4th in that
series (sob), there
is hope; Simon has created a different crime
series, one based on missing persons:
Finder, to be launched in September 2024.
My name is down for that one already!
In 2019, an interviewer asked him, What's
your favourite escape from writing? His
reply was: There is no escape. How
fortunate we are to have Simon Mason in
captivity! Ruth Cameron
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Remembrance Day Service
As many of you well
know, Botley &
North Hinksey
Parish Council
annually organize a
Service of
Remembrance at
the Commonwealth
War Graves in
Botley Cemetery.
This year was no exception. Rain was forecast, but it held off for the
eleventh hour and was never heavy.
The service was well-attended, with representatives from the Lord
Lieutenant, the different levels of local government and local community
groups as well as Commonwealth forces, past and present, and the
Embassies of foreign soldiers buried in the cemetery. The 4th Regiment
Royal Logistic Corps provided a magnificent Guard of Honour around the
Stone of Remembrance and also organised an impressive parade, which
include the 15th Oxford Scouts,
3rd West Oxford Guides and the
Botley Detachment Army Cadets,
who all marched in formation up
from the Minns car park, through
the cemetery gates and into their
positions. It was lovely to see. A
Muslim cleric presided alongside
the usual Christian and Jewish
Clergy, and joined them in
delivering an interfaith Order of
Service that reminded us that
after times of war, we all
remember together.
After the two-minute silence, local
historian, Malcolm Graham, gave
a brief account of the history of the
site, mentioning local men buried,
not just in this cemetery, but also
in Osney Cemetery near the
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railway station, where of the 16 men buried there, the youngest was just
16, the oldest 53. After this, the various groups laid wreaths to remember
the fallen who fought for our today.
It must be recognised that this was a collaborative event, with many
people playing a part in bringing the whole thing together. The Parish
Council would particularly like to thank Reverend Richard Budgen, the
4th Regiment of the Royal Logistic Core, Radio Cherwell, Matthew Arnold
School, St. John’s Ambulance, the Oxfordshire Youth Brass Ensemble,
various Parish Councillors, Oxford City Council, the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission and Kevin Minns for their contributions in both the
run up and on the day. We would also like to thank the wonderful
Women’s Institute for the refreshments.
Another thank-you must not be forgotten. On the 11th hour of the 11th
day Julie Goldsmith of the City of Oxford Silver Band marked the moment
by playing the Last Post and Reveille to bookend the two minutes silence
organised by the Parish Council on Church Way, Botley. Locals came
specifically for the moment, to listen and to reflect.
Our thanks go out to all of these people and organisations and also to the
many attendees who made the two events so special.
Adam Rankin (Remembrance Day Cttee) and Emma Gordon (Clerk)
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LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P23/V2303/LDP
2 Hurst Rise Rd. 1-storey side and
rear extension. Two new roof
windows to west facing roof slope.
New flat rooflight to existing flat
roof.
13 October
Target
Decision Date:
8 December
P23/V2328/T56
Oxford RFC North Hinksey Lane.
New radio mast.
13 October
TDD: 7 Dec
P23/V2390/HH
23 Crabtree Rd. 1-storey rear
extension to form open plan
kitchen/dining & garage.
24 October
TDD: 19 Dec
P23/V2347/LDP
48 Yarnells Hill. Loft conversion,
hip-to-gable raise & rear facing
dormer with juliet balcony.
30 October
TDD: 25 Dec
P23/V2450/HH
11 Chestnut Rd. Remove existing
rear extension. Build 1-storey rear
extension + extra parking.
31 October
TDD: 26 Dec
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Making Connections
Following lots of feedback from local people that Facebook is best for
sharing news and community info, Network Rail have got in touch to say
that you can now find the latest on Botley Road traffic on Facebook at
Oxfordshire Connect. To be fair, they put effort into making it a lively
place to visit, and they do bring in all the players involved in the obstacle
course otherwise known as ‘getting in and out of Botley’. (The same is
true of their weekly e-mail newsletter which anyone can sign up to
receive: https://lineside.networkrail.co.uk/oxfordshireconnect.)
For instance, they reported on the West Oxford Light Festival on 19th
November like this: This fantastic lantern, which was created by the local
community, is the first of many new train services that you can expect to
see on the western side of the station once the new platform is built next
year. With so much time and effort put into creating 'Wocamotion',
organisers now want to find a permanent home for it, so please get in
touch with any suggestions.
The playing fields were flooded, so the festival took place in and around
the community centre, and Osney Island. The lantern parade,
energetically led by Oxford Samba Band, stopped the traffic on the Botley
Road and wound its way back around the school and up West Street. The
splendid WOCAmotive, pictured above, was manoeuvred with some
difficulty along the narrow path beside the school, but got home without
mishap, and is now looking for a permanent railway shed. Hundreds
came, many with their home-made lanterns, and were entertained,
indoors and outside, by the fantastic women of Aerial Emporium, who
demonstrated daring feats of skill and balance, on ropes and with fire poi
and flaming hula hoops. More on them in a future issue.
Ag MacKeith
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In Memory of Muriel Evelyn Stevens (1928 2023)
Muriel lived in Poplar Road, Botley for
50 years, initially with her husband
Roy and latterly on her own, following
Roy’s death.
Muriel was born and brought up in
Oxford, spending her early years in
Cowley. She was proud of her father‘s
prowess as goalkeeper of Headington
United football team in the 1930s (now
Oxford United) and often told tales of
his skill and abilities. Muriel spent brief
periods in her youth in the WAAF and
later working in London, but always
returned to Oxford.
Muriel spent more than half her lifetime living in Poplar Road, where she
was always part of the Poplar Road social events and her mischievous
sense of humour was well known. She talked with fondness about
ballroom dancing, which she and Roy had enjoyed all over Oxford in
earlier years. Hers was a familiar face in Botley. She was a regular visitor
to Elms Parade shops, attended social events with residents in Seacourt
Road, and could often be found at lunchtime Bingo sessions at the
Seacourt Bridge pub. For many years Muriel was also an avid member of
the Gladiators Club in East Oxford, where she had many friends. Muriel
was widely known as the ‘Queen’ in her social circles an image she
enjoyed and played up to.
Muriel moved to Headington Care Home in February 2021, and always
told visitors and the Care Staff about the house in Poplar Road which was
her adored home. Rest In Peace, Muriel. Ruth Ashwell
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The Year in Raleigh Park
The Friends of Raleigh Park held their 12th AGM this month, to review
the year’s activities, highs and lows. We marked the sad passing of our
founder member Carol Kramer, a stalwart of early work parties, a fount of
wisdom on flora, cattle and horses, and an uncompromising contributor
to discussions of policy and principle. We will remember her as we pass
her memorial tree in the Park (currently a birch, soon to metamorphose
into an elm). We rejoiced in the success of our opposition to the
development of land adjoining the Raleigh Park fen, and in particular its
demonstration that community groups and ecological experts working
together can be listened to and respected by Planning Committees.
Some of our regular activities have continued, if at a less intense level.
Work parties organised by Adam Bows were active until the Summer,
and took part in a major project funded by the City Council to stabilise
one of the most notoriously muddy slopes down to the pond. The pond
and the main fen have gone from
strength to strength under the
custodianship of the Freshwater
Habitats Trust, who have
announced further funding for fen
protection works in 2023/24, as well
as commissioning a survey of
biodiversity showing that the
management of the fen has
significantly increased the presence
of fen flora including rare species,
since 2017. We were delighted to
support the third year of the Oxford
Badger Group’s vaccination
programme, conducted in the Park
and neighbouring land owned by the
City Council. A trusty group of
volunteers has replenished supplies
of bird food at the feeding station,
established and maintained by Clive
Smith. Full reports on all these will be
found on the Friends of Raleigh Park
website www.raleighpark.org.uk.
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Other activities have been lost or reduced in the face of dwindling
participation by members. The regular butterfly walks have been in
abeyance for two years. Our birdbox expert Clive Smith has been unable
to carry out his observations of nesting patterns in addition to maintaining
the boxes, which will soon be relocated to make them more accessible.
The Boxing Day Walk will be revived this year, after two blank years. The
Friends Committee is in need of renewal, as its officers have been
unchanged since 2017, and it is now reduced to a bare minimum of three
members, two of advancing age. While we have a large number of
supporters, we do urgently need more active members to coordinate
activities, to represent the Friends at community days, to organise
meetings and outdoor events, and to gain the experience to allow them
to take over the main committee roles when the current officers take a
well-earned rest. We would dearly like to recruit a butterfly walks
coordinator, an events coordinator, a fundraising coordinator, a birdbox
assistant, and more work party volunteers and coordinators. We know
how much the community values Raleigh Park as a local resource, and
how much the City Council and our stakeholders value the input of an
active Friends group. All we need are more active Friends!
It was in 1926 that Raleigh Park was gifted to the people of Oxford by
Raymond ffennell, whose other environmental benefactions include Hill
End and Wytham Woods. We need new members now to help prepare a
suitable celebration. Please talk to any member of the Committee about
future participation, or join us in the park in December to plant out
seedlings of wetland plants raised by the GroWet project, on Boxing Day
for mulled wine and a walk, or in January for our annual search for the
eggs of the elusive Brown Hairstreak butterfly. Notices of work parties
and other events will be found on our website. You can email us on
raleighpark@btinternet.com and raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Stephen Parkinson, David Brown, Adam Bows
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Oxford Christmas Lunch
is happening again in 2023! It'll be at The King's Centre, Oxford on
Christmas Day 12.30-4pm. To book a place and transport, or to volunteer,
contact Sara on sara@oxfordchristmaslunch.org or call her on 07535
314716.
Entertainers also needed! If you can balloon twist, juggle, costume
dance, stilt-walk, clown or do magic, etc, and would like to volunteer at
this lovely event, please contact them on the same email!!!
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December’s Monthly News Blog
Christmas is coming! I don’t know about the geese getting fat, but
thoughts have begun to turn to plans for festive occasions and get-
togethers, present buying, card writing, carol singing, cake baking, and
when to put up the Christmas tree. For some of those with dementia,
memories of Christmases past about the family traditions that have grown
up over the years may be very hazy, but the one aspect of the season
which is often still remembered and enjoyed is the
singing of Christmas carols. Why do our brains have
such a good capacity to retain the tunes and words
of familiar songs and carols when other memories
have taken flight? We don’t know, but we do realise
that this is the case, and singing is so appreciated by
most of us, including those with dementia. There will
be plenty of carols sung at Kennington Memory Club in the run up to
Christmas, to get our members into the mood and help them to enjoy the
season as fully as possible. To find out about applying for a place with
us for someone with dementia, contact the Club Organiser, Helen, on
07852 883496 or email
memoryclub1@outlook.com. Alternatively, you
can visit the Club website by scanning the QR code above or by going to
kenningtonmemoryclub.org.uk .
Isobel Birse
36
Brownies Learn a Lot
Our new autumn term was full of action, as we got on with a lot of the
official Girlguiding programme.
One of the Unit Meeting Activities (UMA) was to learn some facts about
the planets. Working in our Sixes, each group had to put the planets from
our solar system into the correct order from the Sun. Some of the girls
knew nothing about the solar system but some of the Brownies knew
quite a bit and, surprisingly, the two newest girls who had only joined us
the week before knew lots of answers and had great fun joining in. Well
done, Alice & Mabel. Tawny Owl’s daughter’s mnemonic to remember
the correct order of planets had to be amended when it was pointed out
by one of the older Brownies that Pluto’s status had been downgraded to
that of a dwarf planet, and so could no longer be included. In case you
are wondering the correct order is: My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Exciting
(Earth) Mother (Mars) Jumped (Jupiter) Suddenly (Saturn) Using
(Uranus) No (Neptune) Pogostick (Pluto) - but with Pluto now removed it
ended with Nothing (Neptune).
The following week we started work on an Interest
Badge (IB) called Jobs (jobs badge on right). This
required the Brownies to find out about different
jobs by interviewing some adults. They were started
off in the weekly meeting by being given a talk by
Bumblebee, one of our Adult Leaders, and her
friend Kate.
Bumblebee is a
Veterinary Surgeon
and so the Brownies
learnt the difference
between working with
small domestic pets,
larger working animals
and exotic animals.
They learnt that an
average day for a vet
could include anything
from consultation to
performing surgery. An
array of very good
questions was asked and informative answers were given. The Brownies
37
then got to try on some
scrubs and were shown
how to use a stethoscope
correctly.
Kate is an Optical Engineer,
specialising in working with
lasers. The Brownies learnt
about the experiments
performed in laboratories
with very expensive lasers
both small ones and also
very powerful ones. They
learnt about streamlining a
process to make it more efficient and the process of determining the
correct answer to questions by experimenting and through rigorous
analysis of results and their associated errors. Then, as a simple
experiment, they managed to establish the contents of sealed containers
without opening them, using a cat laser toy
The Owls, 2nd Botley Brownies
38
Randoms
All in One Room Celebrating Volunteers
Botley & North Hinksey Parish Council is inviting all volunteers in the local
community to the WI Hall at 4:30pm on Sunday 10th December for mince
pies and mulled wine or soft drinks, as a thank you for all your community
work this year. We ran this event for the first time in December 2022 with
around 100 volunteers attending, from baby and youth groups to
pensioners’ lunch clubs, from sports groups to food banks, and groups
supporting our local natural habitat. As well as a recognition of all their
various contributions to the community, the event was also a time to
pause, connect, meet and to share and discuss common issues and
ideas. We look forward to welcoming even more volunteers to this event
this year. Please do come along to the WI Hall, North Hinksey Lane at
4:30pm on Sunday 10th December.
RSVP:
chair@botleynorthhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Anyone for Badminton
It has been some years since Badminton at Matthew Arnold School
closed its doors, and, as they have no plans to hire the sports hall out in
the foreseeable future, I thought North Hinksey residents old and new
might be interested in joining the badminton club at John Mason School
Abingdon. We are a non-league club and open to players of all ages from
18 to 80 a varied group of excellent, not so good and plain old rusty. If
you want to run off those extra calories put on over Christmas and would
like to join us on Wednesday evenings, please visit our website for more
information and contact details. We are, Mike’s Badminton Group
https://badminton.abingdon.onl/
Alison Hall
Acorns and Oaks
Come along and see us this week at our fortnightly Intergenerational
Group held at Chawley Grove. This is a lovely session where older and
younger generations come together to play, chat and sing. No need to
book, just turn up. Babies are especially welcome and we have activities
available for toddlers and pre-schoolers. Next two sessions (2-3pm) are
6th and 20th December. Hayley Hayle
39
Age UK
As we move into the colder and darker months, we become more aware
of the need to look out for vulnerable older people in our communities.
We have brought together some useful information and resources and
you can find them online at
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/oxfordshire/about-us/winter-hub/ Of
course, not everyone has or wants access to the internet, so we have
created physical Winter Wellbeing packs which we can post out to anyone
who asks for one. These include: Our ‘Little Handbook of our Services’; A
‘Live Well’ Oxfordshire bookmark; AgeUK Winter Wrapped-Up Guide; an
Oxfordshire Talking Therapies leaflet; Our Cost-of-Living Payment Grid.
Please get in touch via contactus@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk or 0345 450
1276 if you would like one or more of these.
Joyriders need leaders
JoyRiders Oxford warmly invites female cyclists to join their friendly team
of Ride Leaders, mostly aimed at the Beginner+ (up to 10 miles) and
Intermediate (up to 15 miles) level, and we also run cycle training projects
for absolute beginners. JoyRiders Ride Leaders are confident cyclists
who ride assertively to look after the inexperienced riders on our rides,
but we didn't all start like that! Our Ride Leader training will boost your
cycle skills and confidence: the main qualities we'd like you to bring to our
team are calmness, patience, understanding and kindness. If that's you,
please drop us a line at oxford@joyriders.org.uk.
Cumnor Pre-School
Cumnor Pre-school is looking for a part-time assistant to work with 24-
year-old children in a supportive and friendly environment. Monday
Wednesday 8.4515.30, £10.42£11.67 per hour, depending on
experience and qualifications. More information and application form at
www.cumnor-preschool.co.uk or email cumnorpreschool@gmail.com
with any questions.
Looking for friends
To form a gardening group for North Hinksey Nature Reserve. Hands-
on help or plant donations equally welcome, and it would be nice to get
planting over the winter. Call the Parish Clerk on 07494 054581 if this is
something you’d like to do.
40
41
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 710
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 67.30 Jean
Metson, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 710
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison
Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com
4th Oxford Scout Group Cubs
Beavers, Scouts, Explorers
mail@thefourth.org.uk Meets every weekday
evening. Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Fridays, Cubs 6.30-8, Scouts 8-9.30, Pavilion, Fogwell Rd.
Amy Cusden (Cubs) 07887 654386, Tom Freeman (Scouts)
07837 623768 xvoxfordscouts@yahoo.co.uk
Baby & Toddler Group
Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
BikeSafe. B4044 community
path campaign
Wants to connect Botley to Eynsham. Meets every 6-8
weeks. Contact via website B4044path.org
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 810159
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Terri Matthews: clubsecretarybbgfc@gmail.com
Botley Bridges (for under 5s)
Mondays, 9-11, Stay & Play Botley School, and Fridays
10-12,Baby Group at Seacourt Hall botleybridges.org
Botley Community Larder
Thursdays, 3.30 to 5.30 at St P&P Church Hall, West
Way, Facebook or email botleylarder@gmail.com
Botley and Kennington
Patients Participation Group
Second Tuesday in the month, early evening.
Contact csugden@ocrpl.org
Botley Health Walks
2nd & 4th Sats 9.50 Louie Memorial Field car park, or
Tues 11 am Library botleyhealthroutes@gmail.com
Botley Library
07922 849680. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Memory Lane Café
Thursdays 10-12 Seacourt Hall Lounge, Diccon James
07740 611971
Botley Seniors Lunch Club
Alternate Thursdays. Seacourt Hall. Jackie Warner
Ox.721386
Botley Youth Club
Weds 7pm-9pm in term time. Louie Memorial Pavilion.
botleyyouthclub@gmail.com
Cumnor Choral Society
Thursdays, 19.30-21.30 St Andrew’s Ch. Steve Morris,
chair. www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 79pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett
01993 684494 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District
Historical Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old
School. 01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club
http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ tel 01865 721026
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton Village Hall. C. Casson 01235
831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
42
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact: David Millin on david.millin@hill-end.org,
call 863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Lawn Tennis Club
Family club Email: Tennis@OxfordSportsLTC.org
07824 881680 www.oxfordsportsltc.org
Morris Dancing Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
North Hinksey Preschool
and Childcare clubs
MonFri 7.45am6.00 pm. Tel 794287 or email
nhps.manager1@gmail.com
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10–12.00 W.I. Hall Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends Contact Voirrey Carr 07798
743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match/ Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council
clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Oxford Flower Arranging
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: Ox 865259
Oxford Harmony
Wednesdays 7.30 9.30 pm at Seacourt Hall
Contact pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays,
twice monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
Email: raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Seacourt Hall Management
Committee
Contact Lottie White, 07452 960100, or see
https://www.seacourthall.org.uk
Shotokan Karate Club
6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Stagecoach Botley
Botley School, Saturdays 9:00am3pm Performing
Arts for 4-16 yr-olds 01865 590510 or 01235 390810
West Oxford Bowls Club
Dave Ellerker 07931 603801
wobc.membership@gmail.com
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age)
http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Alison Jenner 07598 251161
alisonjenner@yahoo.com
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Banso tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
43
Botley Baptist Church,
I Church Way
Contact: Building Manager 07742
662668 botleybaptist@gmail.com
The Rosary Room
Ya rn ell s Hill, Elms Rise
Contact: Maria Brown,
Tel : 018 6 5 24 7 98 6.
SS Peter & Paul Church
Ha l l , We st Wa y, Bo tle y
Contact: 01865 242057 or
osneybenefice@outlook.com.
Wo m e n' s I nst i tu te H a ll,
North Hinksey Lane
Contact: Val Warner
Tel . 018 6 5 24 5 27 3
Seacourt Hall,
3 Church Way
Contact: Lottie White on 07452 960100,
or email admin@seacourthall.org.uk
Pavilion, Arnold’s Way,
Elms Rise, Botley
Contact: Darren Blase 241254
louiememorialpavilion@gmail.com
Ox f o rd R ug by C lu b,
North Hinksey Village
Contact: Mary Bagnall
mary.bagnall1@btinternet.com.
North Hinksey & Botley Churches
Times of Ser vices (once r esumed) and C ontacts
St . Law rence , C h u rch of Eng l and, Nort h Hin k sey Lane
1st, 2nd, 4
th
, 5
th
Sunday 11. 30 am Holy Communion
3r d Sund a y 11 .30 am Mat in s
St. Peter and St. Paul, Church of England, Wes t Wa y
Sundays 9.30am Holy Communion
Wednesdays 10.30am Holy Communion at Field House, West Way
Rev Clare Sykes, Tel. 01865 242345 or r evc la r e@ b t i nt er net . c o m
See table above for Church Hall enquiries.
Ou r La d y of t he Rosar y, Rom a n Ca thol ic , Ya rne l l s H i ll
Sa tur da y 6. 3 0p m Ma s s
Su nd ay 9. 1 5a m Mas s
Fr Da nie l Lloy d 075 8 4 32391 5 dlloyd@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.
Bo t l e y Ba pt is t Chu r ch, 1 Church Way
Su nd ay Ser vi c e 11 am
Wed n es da y Zoo m B ib le St udy 7. 3 0pm
Ch oir pr act ic e Thur sd ay 2pm
Dia n e Me l c he rt 0 77 42 6626 6 8 ww w.bot leyb a pt ist chur c h. org
Ca lvar y Chapel
Su nd ay se r vices on 1s t Flo o r, 1 Chur ch Way at 9.3 0 am wit h
cr è ch e, c hild r ens Su n da y sch o ol and yout h gr ou p
Pa st or St eve Vicke r y 0 1 86 5 586332
contact@ccox.church website: www. c cox f or d.c h u rch
44
Whats On
December
Sat 2nd 1012, Botley Baptist Church, Christmas Fair
2/3rd Dec More Green Open Homes
Wed 6th 2-3pm, Chawley Grove Care Home, social group for
the very old and the very young, and on 20th
Sun 10th 4.30-6-30, Botley WI Hall, ‘All in One Room’ party to
celebrate Botley’s many volunteers
Thur 14th 7.30pm, Seacourt Hall, Parish Council Meeting
Tues 19th 1-8pm, St Peter and St Paul’s Church Hall, drop off
your donations to Christmas Hampers
Wed 20th 8-11am , St Peter and St Paul’s Church Hall, drop off
Christmas Hamper donations
Mon 25th CHRISTMAS DAY Christmas Lunch, 12-4, Free to all
at the King’s Centre, Osney Mead
January
Mon 9th 2.30pm, Dean Court Community Centre, U3A talk:
Carole Page: My Career with Thames Valley Police
Sun 14th Copy deadline for your Sprout articles.
Mon 22nd 2.30pm, Dean Court Community Centre, U3A talk:
Christina Hardyment: The Serpent of Division
[More details of many events can be found on Randoms page]